Allez Double Steel

Went to my local shop and the kid working there looked at me like I was crazy. He had no idea what the Double Steel was, said Specialized only makes the Langster in steel, and hasn't made downtube shifters in forever. I had to take out my Droid and show it to him on the Specialized website. When the manager came back from lunch five minutes later, he was more informed. Apparently there is like 0 demand for them in my area nad he has not ordered ONE since they came out. Has anyone seen one in person? I would hate ti have the shop order one, not be able to bargain, and not be completely happy. They would charge me the full 2011 MSRP which is like $700

Went to my local shop and the kid working there looked at me like I was crazy. He had no idea what the Double Steel was, said Specialized only makes the Langster in steel, and hasn't made downtube shifters in forever. I had to take out my Droid and show it to him on the Specialized website. When the manager came back from lunch five minutes later, he was more informed. Apparently there is like 0 demand for them in my area nad he has not ordered ONE since they came out. Has anyone seen one in person? I would hate ti have the shop order one, not be able to bargain, and not be completely happy. They would charge me the full 2011 MSRP which is like $700

If you check it out, you'll notice that in the past couple of days posters have mentioned having similar experiences to yours re: LBS's being oblivious to this offering.

I've not seen one, but think that (assuming it fits you well) if you're into a retro bike there's not a lot to dislike about the Allez steel. Most steel lovers (myself included) don't fret over 1/2 lb.~, so (IIRC) the fact that the bike will weigh in at about 22 lbs. isn't a concern.

FWIW the tubing is most likely 4130 Chromoly. Whether it's straight gauge or butted is an open question. If you're interested, an email to Spec customer support might get you more info.

This was my response when someone asked the first month I had it, how it compared to my Tarmac Pro in the thread PJ posted. The last paragraph is an update.

Both bikes do a good job of dampening out crappy roads, especially compared to my trek 1000, that thing feels like a jackhammer on rough roads. But the Allez has the advantage here and just feels smoother. Should probably put the new mavics on my Tarmac to see what difference the wheels/tires are making.

The Tarmac feels quicker and seems to get up to speed faster. Not that the Allez is a dog, the Tarmac just feels quicker. Steering wise, the Tarmac also seems a little twitchier, but it handles great.

Longer hills, can definitely feel the weight of the Allez. Not a particularly strong climber, which is probably why I feel the difference. Did more climbing in the first month I had the Allez, which was basically stock except for swapping to a 12-27 cassette and compact crankset. Going to use the Allez this coming weekend for a club ride, so I'll be able to see how it climbs with all the upgrades. Probably done about 70 miles the past couple of days, with a couple of short 6% climbs, but nothing to really tell if the changes made an impact.

So which bike do I prefer, I'm not really sure, they're both really nice bikes with different personalities. Leaning toward the Allez right now, but that could be just because its new.

The Allez is my primary daily ride with the exception of when I know that I am going to be riding with stronger/faster riders. In which case, I like the quicker shifting (because I don't have to take my hands off the handlebar) and lighter weight of my Tarmac. Long solo rides, regardless of the amount of climbing, I usually take the Allez. My bike has basically been completely rebuilt, but IMO, the best bang for your buck upgrade is the wheelset.

I love my Double steel. I had the exact same thing happen when I went to order my Allez Steel. In fact they couldnt figure out why I would want it, but after I bought it, and put a lot of miles on it, they started to change their tune when I would stop by the shop. They started to like it...

I put a rack meant for disc brakes that move the rack back a couple inches to give my feet some room away from my panniers as the bike has such short chainstays, and my heels would hit. From what I have herd, Reynolds 520 is the same dimmentions as 531. Main dif is it is that the tubes are made in asia, and not england, and 520 is chomemoly and not what the same alloy as 531. This thing rides SOOO nice. I love it. I rode this bike more then I rode any of my other bikes.

They should be able to give you a deal, and still make some money. I would shoot for 10-15% off. Sadly my LBS has not sold another one. So many people are afraid is downtube shifters, but I prefer them. I would recommend this bike to anyone, anyday.